1. The Introduction

Most formal essays begin with an introductory paragraph. In some ways, the introduc­tion is the most important paragraph of your essay. Because it is the first one that will be read, it must capture the attention of the audience and create a desire to read the rest of the essay. It should set the stage for what follows and give the reader an idea of what to expect.

The function of the introduction is to provide background information, to capture the reader's interest, to state the thesis.

While there are no set rules for writing an introduction and you are encouraged to be creative, there are several techniques that have proven successful. Many introductions use one or a combination of the following techniques to provide background informa­tion and capture the reader's attention.

A. Move from general to specific

This type of introduction opens with a general statement on the subject that establishes its importance and then leads the reader to the more specific thesis statement.

B. Use an anecdote

Another way to write an introduction is to relate an interesting story that will get the reader interested in the subject. Newspaper and magazine writers frequently use this technique for their articles.

С. Use a quotation

A quotation is an easy way to introduce your topic. You can quote an authority on your subject or use an interesting quotation from an article. You can also be more informal and use a proverb or favorite saying of a friend or relative.

D. Ask a question

Asking one or more questions at the beginning of an essay is a good way to engage the readers in the topic right away. They will want to read on in order to find the answers to the questions.

E. Present facts and statistics

Presenting some interesting facts or statistics on your subject establishes credibility.

ANALYZING INTRODUCTIONS

Reread the introduction for the John Lennon essay. Notice that the author used several techniques to get the reader interested in the subject. She began with a quote from one of Lennon's most famous songs. She also asked a provocative question to get the reader actively thinking about her topic: How can one envision a world without the melodies and lyrics of the man who transformed the way people feel about popular music?

Now read the following sample introductions. Then, in small groups, identify the tech­nique or techniques used in each one. Remember that authors often use a combination of techniques to write an introduction.

1. Karate, which literally means “the art оf empty hands,” is the most widely practiced of all the martial arts. It is primarily a means of self-defense that uses the body as a weapon for striking, kicking, and blocking. Originating in the ancient Orient, the art of karate is more than 1.000 years old. It developed first as a form of monastic training and later became a method of self-defense. During the seventeenth cen­tury, karate became highly developed as an art on the Japanese island of Okinawa. Over the years, this ancient art has gained much populari­ty, and today karate is practiced throughout the world. More than a method of combat, karate emphasizes self-discipline, positive attitude, and high moral purpose.

Technique(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. One student looks at his neighbor's exam paper and quickly copies the answers. Another student finds out the questions on a test before her class takes it and tells her friends. Still another student sneaks a sheet of paper with formulas written on it into the test room. What about you? Would you be tempted to cheat оn an exam if you knew you wouldn't get caught? According to a recent national survey, 40 percent of American teenagers would cheat under that condition. What is causing this epidemic of cheating in our schools? Most students cheat on tests because they feel pressure to get into a good col­lege, because they want to avoid the hours of studying they need in order to get high grades, or simply because they are not concerned with honesty.

Technique(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Homicides cause the deaths of more children in Washington, D.C, than any other single type of injury, including car accidents, house fires, or drown­ing. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not exclusive to Washington. The overcrowded neighborhoods of many big American cities, such as New York, Detroit, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles, are all plagued with senseless vio­lent crime. Types of violent crime range from arson and burglary to assault, rape, and murder. The solution to this growing problem is not to build more and bigger prisons, but rather to examine and deal with the causes: easy access to guns, drug use, and overwhelming poverty.

Technique(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. “Misty, a five-month-old German shepherd puppy, goes to the hospital twice a week, but not to see a veterinarian. At this Veteran's Administration Hospital, Misty is helping doctors - not the other way around. In what may seem like a role reversal, animals like Misty are visiting the halls of human illness to re­lieve a type of pain doctors cannot treat. Their therapy is love, both giving it and helping others return it to them.” Pets ranging from dogs to tropical fish are show­ing up as therapists in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and other institutions.

Technique(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Experience, not theory, has taught me the truth of the popular saying “two heads are better than one.” For the past two years, the job of secretary in my office has been shared very successfully by two people. This “job-shar­ing” arrangement has worked out quite well for all involved. All over the business world, the interest in flexible employment arrangements, like job-sharing, is growing. Employers are beginning to realize that there are many talented people out there who are looking for alternatives to traditional patterns of employment. In a job-sharing arrangement, a full-time job is shared by two people. As an executive in a multinational firm, I feel that job-sharing is one way that organizations can meet the growing diversity of employees’ needs. Not only is job-sharing helpful to employees, it also offers several advantages to employers. With two people working together, tasks tend to be completed more quickly, a wider range of skills is brought to the job, and most importantly, production is increased.

Technique(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Writing a Thesis Statement

After you have presented some general background information, you will need to nar­row your focus. This is done in a thesis statement which is often the last sentence of the introduction. A thesis statement is similar to a topic sentence in several ways. Just as a topic sentence controls the information for a paragraph, a thesis statement controls the information for an entire essay.

A good thesis statement identifies the subject of the essay,

establishes the aspects of the subject that

the essay will deal with.

Underline the thesis statement in John Lennon: A Musician for All Time and answer the following questions:

1. Does the thesis statement identify the subject of the essay?

2. Does it establish the aspects of the subject that the essay develops?

Now look back at the sample introductions and underline the thesis statement in each one. Write the five thesis statements on the lines below.

1.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Writing an Introduction

A. Write the introduction for a five-paragraph essay on the pressures of being a student. Follow these steps:

1. Spend some time thinking about the angle of the subject that you plan to write about. For example, are you going to discuss the pressures of being a student in a foreign country or in your native country? Are you going to talk about the pres­sures of a high school student, college student, or graduate student? Other angles you might consider are the pressures of being a student and having a job or being a parent. Are you going to talk about economic, academic, social, or emotional pressures?

2. Decide what technique or techniques you want to use to introduce your subject. Would an anecdote be effective? What about a quote or some facts and statistics?

3. End the introduction with a thesis statement that identifies your subject and establishes the three points you plan to develop in your essay.

4. Read your introduction to the class. Listen to other students' introductions for comparison.

B. Follow the same steps and write introductions for these subjects on a separate piece of paper:

1. Why you chose your major or career.

2. The benefits of a large (or small) university.